Clarets dealt with extra pressure - Mee

Chris Boden

Supporters' player of the year Ben Mee admits Burnley had to deal with more pressure this season to bounce back to the Premier League.

Mee made 38 Championship appearances in 2013-14 as the Clarets were promoted as runners-up to Leicester City, and has featured in every game this campaign, which could culminate in title glory with victory at Charlton on Saturday.

The former Manchester City youngster believes Burnley were a big scalp this season, as opposed to a surprise package two years ago, and that made life more difficult for Sean Dyche's men.

Asked if this promotion was a better achievement, he said: "I think so. I think there was more pressure on us, more expectation.

"We had to deal with teams coming here and face everyone at their best really, because I think everyone wanted to beat us, so it was a bit of a different challenge than it was two year ago.

“But the feeling’s awesome and I don’t think it will ever change!

“It’s brilliant. All the lads are absolutely buzzing."

After the 3-0 defeat at Hull City on Boxing Day, automatic promotion looked unlikely, but a run of 22 league games without defeat - coinciding with Mee moving inside to centre back - thrust Burnley to the head of the table, and, looking back on that setback at the KC Stadium, Mee said: “When you’re looking up the league at teams, you never know what’s going to happen.

“We’ve got belief in ourselves and we’ve shown that we can mix it and do the job.

“It’s fantastic that we’ve done it.

"All the hard work that’s gone in has come to work out for us.

“It’s fantastic and great credit to everyone involved. The lads were brilliant.

“It seemed like the last 20 minutes dragged on forever against QPR, but the lads have been fantastic and deserve it massively."

Having been relegated from the Premier League last season, the challenge is to stay there this time, but Mee admits thoughts won't turn to next term until they have taken care of business at The Valley: “To be honest you can’t really because it’s been so tight and so tense.

"We can have a little breather this week and we go into Saturday wanting to win the league.

“It’s just been so tight, you never know what’s going to happen.

“It was a fantastic day for us, it’s worked out and we can go into the weekend relaxed, but still looking to win the league."